What I experienced about learning

By baby sitting my 3 year old niece for only 6 exhausting hours so Mom and Dad could go to

a movie on Saturday afternoon

We played three games on my iPad,beginning with Angry Birds. ThenI realized I had an app on myiPhone to read Dr. Seuss. So out came the iPhone for a read with the Doctor- auto play, read to meand read it myself. My niece intuitively knew how to flip the pages with the swipe of her finger.She asked me a questiononly when she got stuck.

Then she saw the Kindle and decided to give that a try.As she can’t move from reading Dr. Seuss to Jane Austin, we gave up on this device.

It is worth noting that sheautomatically started keyboarding.

We went outside andlearned not to pull flowersoff the plants. A bit of handson learning and experimentation and making mistakes.

Then we went fishing with our poles. Hers is seen in the photo. We learned about frogs, that they like to sit on the pads and then we experienced mosquitoes and retreated indoors.

I turned on the TV and we watched about 5 minutes of the Disney movie Cats and Dogs before she became bored.

So we then played with some “real” cats. She found the toys and had fun for about 10 minutes.

Continuing the imaginative creativity theme, the “rabbit people” came alive for hours of conversational fun.

At the beginning of the fun, both rabbits had two ears.

She went to the market to buy some carrots, we discussed hopping vs walking, and then they got very tired and….

So she built a rabbit house and a bed with our 100 plus year old Turkish embroidery so they could sleep.

With the rabbit people sleeping she decided we had to be silent and so we went outside to let them sleep.

Here is where we played sidewalk art together for over an hour. Pictured here is fairy dust, a butterfly, an airplane, flowers and kite flying on the beach.

And we designed new colored rocks and drew on the trees.

She asked about the butterflies she had seen a month ago.

And now for a serous reflection on adult learning

What can we note about adult learning from my 6 hour exhausting babysitting role?

Then and now

Then Now

Be quite. Sit and listen. We like physical activity. Moving about forming breakout groups and returning as a group for report outs or taking walks to review visuals/posters creates a learning environment.

We learn through engagement- events and activities that appear useful for our lives and our work. Adults prefer practice over theory.

Then and now

Then Now

Chalk, whiteboards Mobile phones are entering the teaching world of activities and events. We can’t ignore the opportunities! Visit Mobile Phones for Communication and Learning on a University Campus for more information.

Apps are emerging . Visit University Apps- The Challenge of Delivering Sustainable Information Just in Time, Anytime and Just for Them! for more.

Tablets are just in their infancy but if a 3 year old uses one now, imagine the changes coming!

Then and now

Then Now

Skinnerian behaviorism and mim-mem.

Mimicry and memorization have given way to knowing where to locate information when it is required. This digital age requires digital literacies as the Web is word-of-mouth on steroids.

Digital literacies empower us to globally connect- classroom to classroom via Skype, email, web sites.

Then and now

Then Now

Skinnerian behaviorism and mim-mem.

For more information on the digital tools instructors and students can use to empower themselves in the learning process check out this video on Slideshare.

And check out this slide pack with on key digital learning tools- The New Norm- Emerged and Emerging Technologies That Make Connection Possible.

Then and now

Then Now

Sage on the stage. One way communication

Lecture has it’s role in learning, but not to the exclusion of interactive delivery of information, cemented by discussion or debate.

The communication model of Sender and Receiver also contains the elements of noise and feedback. Feedback is a two-way street.

Then and now

Then Now

Sage on the stage. One way communication

If we are creative, technologies can fundamentally alter delivery and learning.

Check out What if Conferences were Twitter-Free? to see how Twitter has altered the way conferences work.

Then and now

Then Now

Sage on the stage. One way communication

Multiple media, multiple methods help ensure that all learning styles are reached.

Cultural diversity has to be taken into consideration. Culture determines expectations for classroom behavior, both on the part of the learner and the instructor.

Then and now

Then Now

Accountability Accountability! Yes, to a large extent students are responsible for their own learning. Instructors are accountable to keep up with theories that may shape education, such as Connectivism.

We can use aggregators like Netvibes or Google Alerts to keep us informed.

My call to you for action!

Then Now

Death by PowerPoint. Listen as the instructor reads the slide to you!

Reply to a blog cited here or elsewhere!

Join this Ning site and start collaborating! Moving Social Media into the Classroom!

Let me know if this was an interactive learning experience! skipward65@gmail.com. Use “Call to Action” as your subject so I know you are human and not spam!